The Calling of Saul - Occasion of his Interview with Samuel -Samuel Communes with Saul - Saul is Anointed

King - The Three "Signs " - Their Deeper Significance. (1 SAMUEL 9-10:16)

THE Divine direction for which prophet and people were to wait was not long withheld. It came, as so often,

through a concurrence of natural circumstances, and in the manner least expected. Its object, if we may

venture to judge, was to embody in the person of the new king the ideal which Israel had had in view in

making their demand for a monarchy. He should possess all the natural attractions and martial qualities

which the people could desiderate in their king; he should reflect their religious standpoint at its best; but

he should also represent their national failings and the inmost defect of their religious life: that of combining

zeal for the religion of Jehovah, and outward conformity to it, with utter want of real heart submission to the

Lord, and of true devotedness to Him.

Thus vie wed, we can understand alike the choice of Saul at the first, his failure afterwards, and his final

rejection. The people obtained precisely what they wanted; and because he who was their king so

corresponded to their ideal, and so reflected the national state, he failed. If, therefore, it is with a feeling of

sadness that we follow this story, we must remember that its tragic element does not begin and end with

Saul; and that the meaning of his life and career must be gathered from a deeper consideration o f the history

of his people. In truth, the history of Saul is a summary and a reflection of that of Israel. A monarchy such as

his must first succeed, and finally fail when, under the test of trials, its inmost tendencies would be brought

to light. Such a reign was also necessary, in order to bring out what was the real meaning of the people's

demand, and to prepare Israel for the king of God's election and selection in the person of David.

Of all the tribes in Israel perhaps the most martial, although the smallest, was that of Benjamin. The "family"

of Abiel 80 was, indeed, not famous for wealth or influence. But it must have occupied a prominent place in

Benjamin for the manly qualities and the military capacity of its members, since within a narrow circle it

numbered such men as Saul, Jonathan, and Abner.81 The whole of this history gives such sketches of

primitive life in Israel as to prove that it was derived from early and authentic sources.

Kish, the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, were brothers, the sons of Abiel (comp. 1 Samuel

14:51). The former is described in the text as "a hero of might," by which, as in the case of Boaz, who is

similarly designated (Ruth 2:1), were meant in those times men stalwart, strong, and true, worthy

representatives and, if need were, defenders of their national rights and of their national religion. Such, no

doubt, was also the father of Abner. And yet there was exquisite simplicity about the family -life of these

great, strong men. Kish had lost his she-as ses - a loss of some consequence in times of such poverty that a

man would consider "the fourth part of a shekel," or a sus - about 6 and 1/2d. of our money - as quite an

adequate gift to offer a "seer" in return for consulting him (1 Samuel 9:8). To find, if possible, the straying

animals, Saul, the only son of Kish,82 as we infer from the text, was sent in company with a servant. Saul,

"the asked-for," was not only "choice83 and goodly," like all his race, but apparently as handsome as any

man in the land, and taller than any by head and shoulders. In any country and age this would tell in favor

of a popular leader, but especially in ancient times,84 and more particularly in Israel at that period.

From his home at Gibeah85 Saul and his servant passed in a north-westerly direction over a spur of Mount

Ephraim. Thence they turned in their search north-eastward to "the land of Shalishah," probably so called

from the circumstance that three Wadys met there,86 and then eastwards to the land of Shaalim -probably

"the hollow," the modern Salem. Having traversed another district, which is called "the land of Yemini," -

either "the right hand," or else "of Benjamin," though apparently not within the territory of Benjamin - they

found themselves in the district of Zuph, where Samuel's home at Ramah was.87

For three days had the two continued their unsuccessful search, when it occurred to Saul that their long

absence might cause his father more anxiety than the straying of the she-asses. But before returning home,